Okay, should I go Vapochill or Better water setup?

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bubblethumper

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Nov 2, 2004
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My rig specs are in my sig.

Two scenarios I'm considering:

1) Add a Vapochill LS to my system and then use the Exos solely for cooling my video card.
Pros: Fast CPU overclock, GPU gets all of exos cooling capacity
Con: Messy vapochill install, exos might still be too weak for my vid card, EXPENSIVE!!!

2) Get rid of the Exos and go with a watercooled setup like most people have here (Danger Den, etc)
Pros: Faster CPU overclock, better GPU overclock, CHEAP!
Cons: Not as great a CPU overclock as phase-change

What to do?
 
I've had no trouble with installing my Vapochill XEII - and I was a phase-change virgin before I got it :D

The XEII uses the same clamshell head as the vapochill LS, so you shouldn't have any trouble installing that either. If set up properly, with the heaters etc. on high enough, condensation shouldn't ever be a problem :)

What unit have you had condensation problems with, GoldenTiger? A Mach I maybe?
 
Nah, I haven't put that much into my computers... yet ;). Just from what I've read, most phase change coolers have condensation issues you have to be very careful with. I've never actually used one, however, so this is completely based off of hearsay and reviews. Plus, I felt that option #2 would give him a better all-around cooling solution and system speeds.
 
Arseface said:
I've had no trouble with installing my Vapochill XEII - and I was a phase-change virgin before I got it
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm not worried about the install or condensation really. When I say install is messy, I mean that (according to the install instructions) you have to pour all this thermal paste all over the CPU socket. Which is not going to be so pleasant to clean up.

GoldenTiger said:
Plus, I felt that option #2 would give him a better all-around cooling solution and system speeds.
Click to expand...

I'm really not so sure. The phase change would give me CPU headroom (my gpu is already limited by my CPU). So option #1 could yield better performance.
 
GoldenTiger said:
I'd go with option #2. Condensation from phase change cooling is a pain...
Click to expand...

Depends how bad you want the clocks, for me condensation was so fun I had t replace a motherboard and got a CPU stuck in the motherboard (resulting in having to pry it out and bending the pins).

IMHO #2 sounds best
 
Zxcs said:
Depends how bad you want the clocks, for me condensation was so fun I had t replace a motherboard and got a CPU stuck in the motherboard (resulting in having to pry it out and bending the pins).

IMHO #2 sounds best
Click to expand...

Thanks Zxcs

This is exactly the kind of input I'm looking for here. People speaking from experience!
 
In my experience, the vapos are pretty good. I didn't have that much trouble setting it up and it ran fine until I sold it (wish I still had it).

The vapo didn't have condensation issues like I encountered with my prommy. Although I never really felt I did a good job with the hermatic seal on the prommies
...could of just been user error. Still though, if it was a PITA for me...it could be for you also.

It's usually best if you have 1 rig to mess with and it can be having problems/ in rma's etc...
AND
One you never mess with, your stable rig...or your link to help (forums) lol :)
 
Hmmmm..... getting sooooo tempted to go vapochill.

I also have an extra motherboard if something should go wrong.
 
Personally I think that Vaporphase is too much hassle.

I think a much better alternative for extreme cooling is thermo electric cooling (or TEC's as they are commonly known).

Although it would require another PSU to be housed in the system, it certainly is no larger than the clamshell that would be required for vaporphase, and the TEC's have quite a few benefits. Such as 0 vibration, no mechanical or moving parts, controllable cooling (through increased or decreased voltage), requires significantly less space, more cost effective, etc I could go on but I don't think that's necessary.

You'll still need to do the same prep work with TEC's as you would with vapor phase (as in preventative measures against condensation) but I think the overall product is better, and because there aren't any TEC "kits" per say (at least not mass marketed ones) the setup can be customized more to the personal wishes and needs of the setup.

After all that blabbing, I like TEC's more because they are cost effective and because I like the water cooling that usually accompanies them.
 
UnknownSouljer said:
Personally I think that Vaporphase is too much hassle.

I think a much better alternative for extreme cooling is thermo electric cooling (or TEC's as they are commonly known).

Although it would require another PSU to be housed in the system, it certainly is no larger than the clamshell that would be required for vaporphase, and the TEC's have quite a few benefits. Such as 0 vibration, no mechanical or moving parts, controllable cooling (through increased or decreased voltage), requires significantly less space, more cost effective, etc I could go on but I don't think that's necessary.

You'll still need to do the same prep work with TEC's as you would with vapor phase (as in preventative measures against condensation) but I think the overall product is better, and because there aren't any TEC "kits" per say (at least not mass marketed ones) the setup can be customized more to the personal wishes and needs of the setup.

After all that blabbing, I like TEC's more because they are cost effective and because I like the water cooling that usually accompanies them.
Click to expand...

Agreed. TEC is also an easy "add on" to water cooling if you are not getting the overclocks you want with a solid water cooling setup.
 
With TEC you will have to fab your insulation. With the Vapo its all there for you. I havent had one problem with condensation, and I run it 24/7. Seems easier to me.
 
I like the idea of TEC cooling, but it's more of a pain for me and my PC Case.

I have a lian li mid-tower and installing all the watercooling parts + tec power supply just wont fit in my PC case.

The Vapochill unit just sits under my tower and doesn't take up any space in the case.
 
#1 !!!! But that was an easy choice with the a or b that you laid out. Using a heatercore watercooling is really quite cheap and you can fab that up whenever you get the extra dough. TEC's really arent that great anymore. A vapochill LS will beat it silly in termps and probably cost even less in the electric bill. The power draw of a TEC mean enough to chill a modern CPU is monstrous.
 
TEC's are a pain in the ass and don't do the job as well as you'd probably like. If you don't already have a secondary psu for a TEC, get a vapo. A koolance setup might not be able to handle the extra heat dissapation of two high wattage TEC's.


I love my vapo, and have never had condensation probs. Just use waterproofing spray on your mobo and other parts and you're golden.
 
GoldenTiger said:
Nah, I haven't put that much into my computers... yet ;). Just from what I've read, most phase change coolers have condensation issues you have to be very careful with. I've never actually used one, however, so this is completely based off of hearsay and reviews. Plus, I felt that option #2 would give him a better all-around cooling solution and system speeds.
Click to expand...

I take it all back :(

I discovered a few drips of water when I took the clamshell head off today, to take out the CPU.

Now I'm scared...

I've ordered another neoprene socket set from asetek, and I'm going to set up an old 5.25" bay plastic push-out tray as a drip-catcher. Don't want anything frying my graphics cards!

I'm not worried about the CPU - the pins are covered in thermal paste, and the heatspreader is completely sealed from the core. But if drips of water fall down onto my graphics card... that's a lot of money that can go straight up in smoke!
 
That's why you use waterproofing spray. 5 dollar insurance investment on 1500$ equipment is a pretty good deal.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
Do people still use dielectric grease in their sockets and on cpus?

I used to and it worked pretty good. It can get a little messy, but I never lost any cpus... :cool:
 
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